Wire-stretcher.



W.v K. HOUSER.

WIRE STRETCHER'.. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1916.

Patented 0pm 23,1917.

sfrafr;

. 'WALTER K. HOUSER, or sroirrswoon, vinerivin.

To aiZZww-m it may concern:-

Be it known that I, VALTER K. HoUsnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spottswood, in the countyof Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulllmprovements *in Wire- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.v f

This invention relates t0 an improved wire stretcher andhas as its primary ob-V ject to provide a device of this character which may be easily and quickly erected adjacent a post of a fence as vfor instance a terminal post and operable to simultaneously stretch all of the fence Wires of a reach of fence.

The invention has as a further object to provide a device of this character having an improved and simplified Vstretching mechanism as well as to also 'provide a simple but effective means for mounting the said mechanism.- Y

And the invention has as a still further object toprovide an arrangement whereby the device may be eiectually braced to support the stretcher in active position. Other and ings'wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved device arranged at the terminal of afence and particularly showing the clamp employed for engagement with the fence wires,

,Fig 2y is a fragmentary side elevation particularly showing the mounting of the 4winding shaft employed, Y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view particularly illustrating the double ended worm yshaft arranged to coperate with the winding shaft, 4 v Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the 'eccentric or crankla'rranged at the lower Vextremityof thewinding 'shaft for receiving the chain or flexibleelement which is operatively engaged with the wire clamp,

Fig. 5 is vparts throughout the post of the device with the the supporting forks of the saidbrackets adapted to re- Y cve lateral brace members for they saidl posts.

'inner extremity,

Specificationrof Letters atent. i i 'PafIlBd 0613,23; 1917. Application led September 22,1916. Serial yNo'. 121,626. i Y

In, carryingfout the invention, a post or verticalV support Y10 is 'employed which may be formed of metal or'other suitable material and adapted to be driven' into the ground :adjacentthe terminal 'of a fence or any other point therein, fas particularly shown in Fig. 1, the terminal of the fence having been conventionally shown for the purposes of illustration. As is usual,

spaced posts 11 and 12 respectively are arranged at the said fence terminal and are supported with respectto each other by a brace rod 13 with the vertically spaced fence wires 14 secured to the said posts. Mounted upon the post 10, is a bracket 15 preferably formed from a metal strip connected Y' Rotatably mounted upon the arms 16 and 17 of the supporting bracket is a vertical windingshaft 18 which extends freely through the uppermost arm" 16 and-is preferably provided with a swivel connection with the arm 17. Mounted upon the arm 16 isk a worm shaft bracket 19 which may be connected to the said arm in anyl suitable mannerA as by ri-ve'tsfand freelyrjeceives-the upwinding shaft 18. At its vper en'd .of the ythe-bracket 19 is provided with upstanding ears 42Q upon which 1s mounted a double ended worm shaft 21 carrying, as particularly showngin Fig. 3, a worm 22.V The terminals vrof. the shaft 21 are', as also particularly' shown in Fig. 3, each-sq'uaredto removablyreceive a crank- Mounted upon the inner extremity of vthe bracket 19 is-.aller plate 24 suitably connectedwith* the said bracket and *which receives the upper extremity of the yshaft 18 -to providefan increasedgbeari'ng therefor. j

Restingup'on the said plate, as particularly 'showninFig. 2, is a Vpreferably `fibrous .packing washer v,25 which bears between the pla-tjeQt and a Yworm wheel-26 fixed upon theY upper end arranged to cooperatel with the worm 22. Thus, actuation of the shaftv 21 b v the Acrank 23' will act to rotate: the shaft 1.8 l.wh-ile* the washer 25 will prevent the worm Awheel 26 from grinding against the plate ofthe winding shaft 18 and 24 when the said shaft is so rotated. In this connection, it is also to be observed that the upper terminal of'thefbracket 15 slopes downwardly over the bracket 19, the worm 22 mounted thereon, and the worin wheel 26, to provide a housing therefor.

Keyed upon the lower extremity Vof the shaft 18 is an eccentric or crank arm 27- which, as particularly shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings, is `provided adjacent the outer extremity, thereof with an opening which freely receives a staple 28- and connected to this staple is one end of a chain or other suitable flexibleV element 29. Thefree end of the chain 29 is arranged for adjustable engagement with a hook 30 which carries a second Vhook 31. This hook 31 is, as particularly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, adapted for detachable engagement with a wire clamp. This clamp includes vertical coacting clamping strips 32 between which is received the adjacent ends of the wires 1e with the clamps held to engage the said wires by a plurality of vertically spaced bolts or other suitable fastening devices 33. `I`hebolts'33 are preferably provided with wing nuts so that the said clamp may be easily engaged with the fence wires. As will now be observed upon reference to Fig. 1, the bill of the hook 31 is arranged to detachably embrace the clamping strips 32 at a point substantially midway the ends of the clamp.

Formed on the post 10 above and below the bracket 15 are pairs of spaced ears 34 and pivoted between these said pairs of ears are brace bars 35 which, at their free extremities, are suitably engaged with the terminal post 12 of the fence adjacent the upper and lower extremities thereof for supporting the post 10 with respect to the post 12. Connected to thejouter side of the post 10, Vat a point substantially midway the ends thereof is a forked bracket 36, the forks of which are arranged to extend downwardly andy laterally to provide outwardly projecting arms 37. Arranged to coact with these arms, are brace membersv38, the upper extremities of whichare formed with sockets to receive the said arms with the said mem'- bers extending laterally and outwardly from the post 10 to engage the ground for supporting the post against lateral movement.

As will now be clear, the post may be readily sunk in the ground adjacent the post 12 and the braces 38 arranged in position. The clamping strips 22 4are then engaged with ythe fence wires 14 and the hook 31 en'- gaged about the said strips. The crank 23 may then beoperated to rotate the'shaft`18 when the chain 29 will be wound about the Copies of this'patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G,

said shaft to stretch the said fence wires. All of the wires of the adjacent reach of the `fence may thus be stretched simultaneously.

It will therefore be seen that I provide a very efficient construction for the purpose set forth and a stretcher which may beeasily arranged in active position. It `-will also be seenrthat I provide an exceedingly simple and effective mounting for the stretching mechanism upon the supporting post of the device while, at the same time, said mechanism may be easily actuated for accomplishing the stretching operation.y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire stretcher including asupport, a bracket mounted thereon 4and including spaced arms, a winding shaft mounted to extend between the said arms, a worm shaft bracket -mounted upon the uppermost 0f said arms and coperating therewith to provide a-bearing for the winding shaft, a worm shaft mounted upon the said bracket, a worm mounted upon the said worin shaft, a worm wheel mounted uponY the winding shaft to coperate with the said worm with the worm shaft operable for rotating' the winding shaft, a flexibleelement connected 'to the winding shaft, and means associated with the said flexible element and adapted for engagement with a wire.

2. A wire stretcher including `a support, a bracket mounted thereon, said bracket being formed from a strip connected Vintermediate its ends and at its terminals to the support with the extremities of the said strip rebent to provide arms projecting laterally from the support and braced at their outer extremities by the rebent portions of the strip, a winding shaft journaled at its extremities upon the said arms, means carried by the bracket for rotating the said shaft, a flexible element connected to the shaft, and means associated with said flexible element for engagement with va wire.

3. Arwire stretcher includingkaV support, a bracket mounted thereon, the said bracket being provided with armsextending laterally from the support and formed at one extremity with a rebent portion extending from one of said arms, a winding shaft journaled between the said arms,"V means for rotating said Vshaft housed bythe rebent portion of theV said bracket, a flexible element connected to the said shaft,and means associated with said flexible element for engagement with a wire.

In testimony whereof I affix mys'ignature.

' warren kf; Honsnn. [1; sj

Commissioner ot Patents;

yso 

